Month: Apr 2014

I’m reblogging this because we are living in an age of one-dimensional masquerade. Our cultural icons and the role models the mass media drip feed us are tenuous cardboard cut-outs. Angular attractive grasping mannequins lacking depth or humanity.
The truth is so different. As you say, real men do cry, and to support or be supported by one you love are both sides of the same penny, the one which exemplifies just what being in a relationship is really about.
Not me, me, me but us, us, us – in lean times as well as fat.
Thank you for sharing. I was touched by your post and felt a need to react, these thoughts being, of course, my personal response.

I still remember the first time. There’s only been twice. Still as vivid today as it was back then. I won’t say why. But my darling you were battling one of the biggest personal events of your life. Tension was building, pain etched upon your face. I wrapped my arms around you, feeling you sink into me. I wanted more then anything to take your pain from you. Then your shoulders starting heaving as you held on for dear life. My shirt getting wet as your silent tears fell. Let it out my darling was all I could think. Then the phone rang, anger as you wiped your tears aside.

The call was over, you couldn’t look at me, your eyes red. I went up to you and gently kissed your salty lips. I spoke but only a few words. “Babe your a real man, you let me…

Like this:

Following on from our last post, Elly now goes on to talk about exactly what Ofsted inspectors will be looking for in terms of LGBT discriminatory behaviour and policies during inspection.

It is essential that governing bodies take note of the following guidelines to ensure that their school or academy is in the best possible position to meet and exceed expectations the next time that Ofsted undertakes an inspection.

When assessing primary schools, inspectors will be looking to see whether:

Pupils ever hear anyone use the word ‘gay’ when describing something or whether they have been told by teachers that using the word ‘gay’ to mean something is wrong, scary or unpleasant.

Pupils ever get picked on by other children for not behaving like a ‘typical girl’ or a ‘typical boy’.

Pupils have had any lessons about different families (single parent, living with grandparents, having step-parents, having two mums…

Like this:

This week we have our first guest blog post by Elly Barnes, who was voted No. 1 in The Independent on Sunday’s Pink List 2011 for her commitment to people who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgendered (LGBT) in education and awarded a ‘highly commended’ by the TES ‘Teacher of the Year’ 2012.

The LGBT movement has been a long and contested one, but a movement which, in recent years, has begun to gather pace across the country, with some profound changes made to the social and legislative frameworks, including those in the education sector. School governing bodies must now take steps to create an inclusive working and learning environment where the rights of LGBT persons, including both staff members and pupils, are promoted and protected at every level.

A major turning point was reached in 2003 when Section 28 was repealed. This ended the long running confusion within…

Like this:

So will cutting benefits push the work shy into employment, as we are told by the UK Coalition government, or will the effect of doing this make life even more grim for hard-working employees whose meagre wages are subsidised currently by benefit payments?

It is also eye-opening to realise, as I did for the first time, that the assumption made in the living wage calculations is that the recipient is in receipt of benefits. This is not the case, universally and the shortfall for those on this minimum level but not in receipt of benefits is substantial.

This topic comes round every now and then, usually when brought up by a politician. As ever, there are those who will argue on both sides, but as so often is the case, there is a confusion surrounding what is being argued about – probably not helped by a 140-character limit for those debating on Twitter. So here’s my two-penneth.

Firstly, there is a great lack of clarity at every level, from parents and classroom teachers, right through to Secretary of State: QTS is not training. QTS is not synonymous with PGCE. If there are arguments to be had, then we need to tackle these things separately.

Qualified Teacher Status is awarded to those who are deemed to meet a set of required standards. Over the past ten or so years, there has been a boom in the number of routes available to QTS, all with their proponents and detractors. But…

Like this:

I’m posting this link to evidenceuk.info to EvidenceUK.info’s blog which uses ONS data to show how the headline figures on unemployment in the UK do not, perhaps, tell the whole story and, indeed, may well under report significantly the true jobless numbers, with 47% of those not employed not receiving Job Seeker’s Allowance, hence not included in the headline stats.
There is a link to further info relating to zero hours contracts within the piece, or via this link to evidenceuk.info which suggests such contracts have tripled under the present government.
This piece also states that the number of JSA sanctions imposed during the first 3 years of the current government has doubled against the number imposed by the governments in the 10 years before the current Coalition was formed. A clear implication of this evidence is that the UK unemployment statistic is not a credible measure of unemployment. Equally clear is the implication that the headline statistic is being skewed downward by a policy of withdrawing JSA and pushing people into underemployment – example here being zero hours contracts.